Methods for preventing tissue migration

ABSTRACT

A method of inhibiting tissue migration comprises positioning an open area of a hood against or adjacent to a tissue region. The method also comprises displacing an opaque fluid with a transparent fluid from the open area. The method includes engaging a portion of the tissue region within the open area via an end effector advanced through the open area and which grasps onto the portion. The end effector includes a tapered section, tapered along its entire length, through which a lumen extends. The tapered section includes threads extending from a surface of the tapered section in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal axis. The tissue region is pierced while displacing the opaque fluid with the transparent fluid through the distal opening of the hood and while maintaining engagement of the portion of the tissue region such that distal movement of the tissue is inhibited.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Prov. Pat. App. 60/862,575 filed Oct. 23, 2006, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to apparatus and methods used for preventing the migration of a tissue region within a body. More particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus and methods for stabilizing a region of tissue during entry or access therethrough to prevent or inhibit the tissue from migrating or “tenting”.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

During transseptal procedures, the clinician typically advances a catheter into the right atrial chamber of the heart and passes a needle intravascularly from the right atrial chamber of the heart, through the atrial septum, and into the left atrial chamber of the heart.

The clinician should ensure that the instruments are desirably situated proximate to the septal wall prior to advancing the needle because of the associated risks in inadvertently puncturing surrounding anatomy. However, because of the inherent properties of the tissue, difficulties with visualization of the septal wall with respect to a position of the instrument is difficult, particularly under fluoroscopic imaging modalities.

Moreover, when passing an instrument such as a needle through the septum, the septal wall may deform and “tent” around the needle and migrate at least partially into the left atrial chamber. This undesirable tenting may be problematic as the preferred path of the needle may be deflected while also bringing the septum closer to other anatomical structures that could be damaged if the needle were to rapidly puncture through the septum.

Thus, methods and apparatus which are able to provide in vivo information with respect to a position of the tissue wall and piercing instrument are desirable. Moreover, methods and apparatus which additionally provide for a counter-traction force with respect to the tissue wall to be pierced are further desirable for inhibiting or preventing tenting of the tissue around the piercing instrument to enhance safety to the patient.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A tissue imaging and manipulation apparatus that may be utilized for procedures within a body lumen, such as the heart, in which visualization of the surrounding tissue is made difficult, if not impossible, by medium contained within the lumen such as blood, is described below. Generally, such a tissue imaging and manipulation apparatus comprises an optional delivery catheter or sheath through which a deployment catheter and imaging hood may be advanced for placement against or adjacent to the tissue to be imaged.

The deployment catheter may define a fluid delivery lumen therethrough as well as an imaging lumen within which an optical imaging fiber or assembly may be disposed for imaging tissue. When deployed, the imaging hood may be expanded into any number of shapes, e.g., cylindrical, conical as shown, semi-spherical, etc., provided that an open area or field is defined by the imaging hood. The open area is the area within which the tissue region of interest may be imaged. The imaging hood may also define an atraumatic contact lip or edge for placement or abutment against the tissue region of interest. Moreover, the distal end of the deployment catheter or separate manipulatable catheters may be articulated through various controlling mechanisms such as push-pull wires manually or via computer control.

The deployment catheter may also be stabilized relative to the tissue surface through various methods. For instance, inflatable stabilizing balloons positioned along a length of the catheter may be utilized, or tissue engagement anchors may be passed through or along the deployment catheter for temporary engagement of the underlying tissue.

In operation, after the imaging hood has been deployed, fluid may be pumped at a positive pressure through the fluid delivery lumen until the fluid, fills the open area completely and displaces any blood from within the open area. The fluid may comprise any biocompatible fluid, e.g., saline, water, plasma, Fluorinert™, etc., which is sufficiently transparent to allow for relatively undistorted visualization through the fluid. The fluid may be pumped continuously or intermittently to allow for image capture by an optional processor which may be in communication with the assembly.

In an exemplary variation for imaging tissue surfaces within a heart chamber containing blood, the tissue imaging and treatment system may generally comprise a catheter body having a lumen defined therethrough, a visualization element disposed adjacent the catheter body, the visualization element having a field of view, a transparent fluid source in fluid communication with the lumen, and a barrier or membrane extendable from the catheter body to localize, between the visualization element and the field of view, displacement of blood by transparent fluid that flows from the lumen, and a piercing instrument translatable through the displaced blood for piercing into the tissue surface within the field of view. Further examples of tissue visualization catheters which may be utilized are shown and described in further detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/259,498 filed Oct. 25, 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Prior to advancing or piercing the tissue wall, e.g., the atrial septal wall, a visual confirmation of the location of the hood relative to the septal wall may be desired to ensure adequate positioning. Thus, quickly ensuring appropriate positioning may be achieved through conventional imaging modalities such as fluoroscopy prior to visualizing through the hood itself. To facilitate the visualization of the hood relative to the septal wall, one or more radiopaque markers may be utilized optionally along the hood itself or along one or more flexible guidewires passed through the hood and into contact against the tissue surface.

With the location of the hood confirmed along the septal wall, the piercing instrument may be deployed for passage into and/or through the underlying tissue. Prior to, during, or even after deployment of the piercing instrument, the visualization hood may be flushed with the transparent fluid and the underlying tissue may be directly visualized. The insertion and/or passage of the piercing instrument may of course be directly visualized during the procedure through the transparent fluid.

The piercing installment itself may be configured in a number of various configurations for temporarily engaging a region of tissue to be pierced to stabilize the tissue wall so that migration or “tenting” of the tissue around tire piercing instrument is inhibited or prevented. Stabilization of the tissue wall may be accomplished during any number of transseptal procedures when intravascularly accessing the various heart chambers.

In one variation, a secondary suctioning hood may be deployed from within the visualization hood and adhered against the tissue surface to be pierced. A vacuum force may be drawn through the suctioning hood to stabilize the tissue with counter-traction while the piercing instrument is passed into and through the tissue. Another variation may utilize a piercing instrument having one or more helical threads which allow the instrument to be screwed into and/or through the tissue. A guidewire or other instrument may then be passed through a lumen defined within the piercing instrument to gain unobstructed access to the body lumen, such as the left atrial chamber.

In yet another variation, tissue grasping members may be deployed from a sheath or tubular member slidably positioned within the visualization hood may be temporarily pinched onto the tissue to provide the counter-traction force during transseptal entry. In yet additional variations, a number of projections or retaining members may be positioned over a circumference of the hood to temporarily engage the underlying tissue to the hood. Thus, instruments may be advanced through the hood and into and/or through the underlying tissue while an engaged periphery of the tissue provides the sufficient counter-traction force.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A shows a side view of one variation of a tissue imaging apparatus during deployment from a sheath or delivery catheter.

FIG. 1B shows the deployed tissue imaging apparatus of FIG. 1A having an optionally expandable hood or sheath attached to an imaging and/or diagnostic catheter.

FIG. 1C shows an end view of a deployed imaging apparatus.

FIGS. 1D to 1F show the apparatus of FIGS. 1A to 1C with an additional lumen, e.g., for passage of a guidewire therethrough.

FIGS. 2A and 2B show one example of a deployed tissue imager positioned against or adjacent to the tissue to be imaged and a flow of fluid, such as saline, displacing blood from within the expandable hood.

FIG. 3A shows an articulatable imaging assembly which may be manipulated via push-pull wires or by computer control.

FIGS. 3B and 3C show steerable instruments, respectively, where an articulatable delivery catheter may be steered, within the imaging hood, or a distal portion of the deployment catheter itself may be steered.

FIGS. 4A to 4C show side and cross-sectional end views, respectively, of another variation having an off-axis imaging capability.

FIGS. 4D and 4E show examples of various visualization imagers which may be utilized within or along the imaging hood.

FIG. 5 shows an illustrative view of an example of a tissue imager advanced intravascularly within a heart for imaging tissue regions within an atrial chamber.

FIGS. 6A to 6C illustrate deployment catheters having one or more optional inflatable balloons or anchors for stabilizing the device during a procedure.

FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate a variation of an anchoring mechanism such as a helical tissue piercing device for temporarily stabilizing the imaging hood relative to a tissue surface.

FIG. 7C shows another variation for anchoring the imaging hood having one or more tubular support members integrated, with the imaging hood; each support members may define a lumen therethrough for advancing a helical tissue anchor within.

FIG. 8A shows an illustrative example of one variation of how a tissue imager may be utilized with an imaging device.

FIG. 8B shows a further illustration of a hand-held variation of the fluid delivery and tissue manipulation system.

FIGS. 9A to 9C illustrate an example of capturing several images of the tissue at multiple regions.

FIGS. 10A and 10B show charts illustrating how fluid pressure within the imaging hood may be coordinated with the surrounding blood pressure; the fluid pressure in the imaging hood may be coordinated with the blood pressure or it may be regulated based upon pressure feedback from the blood.

FIGS. 11A and 11B show side views of one variation for confirming hood positioning against the tissue wall using a flexible guide member or guidewire having a radiopaque distal end and the member placed against the tissue wall underlying the visualization hood, respectively.

FIGS. 12A and 12B show side views of another variation for confirming hood positioning against the tissue wall using two flexible guide members or guidewires each having a radiopaque distal end and the members placed against the tissue wall underlying the visualization hood, respectively.

FIGS. 13A and 13B show perspective and side views, respectively, of a hood having a plurality of radiopaque elements, e.g., beads, positioned around the circumference of the hood.

FIGS. 14A and 14B show perspective and side views, respectively, of another variation of a hood having one or more radiopaque struts which are fabricated from a radiopaque material or which are inflatable with a radiopaque medium.

FIGS. 15A and 15B show perspective and side views, respectively, of another variation of the tissue visualization catheter having a double hood configuration in which a radiopaque contrast medium may be injected in the volume between the two hoods for determining hood position along the tissue wall.

FIG. 16A shows a partial cross-sectional view of the heart with a tissue visualization catheter intravascularly advanced within a right atrial chamber of a patient heart and approaching the atrial septal wall.

FIG. 16B shows an example of tissue migration or “tenting” of the septal wall around a needle or other instrument attempting to pass into or through the tissue wall.

FIG. 17 shows a cross sectional view of the heart illustrating a radiopaque hood having a plurality of optional engagement teeth temporarily affixed to the tissue and further deploying a threaded engaging needle rotated at least partially through the tissue wall, to perform a transseptal procedure without any “tenting” effects.

FIGS. 18A and 18B show side and cross-sectional side views, respectively, of a variation of a threaded engagement instrument defining a lumen therethrough.

FIGS. 19A and 19B show side and cross-sectional, side views, respectively, of another variation of a threaded engagement instrument defining a lumen opening along a side surface of the instrument.

FIGS. 20A and 20B show side views of another instrument for temporarily grasping the underlying tissue wall with curved grasping elements to provide a counter-traction force by engaging the surface of the septum wall.

FIGS. 21A and 21B show side views of one variation of a counter-traction instrument having curved grasping elements which are reconfigurable between a low-profile configuration and a deployed configuration.

FIGS. 22A and 22B show side views of another variation of a counter-traction instrument having linearly projecting grasping elements.

FIGS. 23A to 23C show side views of yet another counter-traction instrument fabricated from shape-memory materials which deploy from a low-profile configuration into a radially curved configuration for retaining tissue.

FIG. 23D shows a side view of the instrument of FIG. 23C deployed and engaged to the septum wall to provide a counter-traction force against “tenting” effects.

FIG. 24A shows a perspective view of an apparatus similar to that of FIG. 15A having a primary and secondary double hood configuration.

FIG. 24B shows a side view of the device of FIG. 24A providing negative pressure within the hood to prevent the septum wall from “tenting”.

FIGS. 25A and 25B show perspective and side views, respectively, of another variation of the tissue visualization catheter having a plurality of angled teeth or pins, e.g., at right-angles, along a circumference of the hood.

FIGS. 26A and 26B show perspective and side views, respectively, of another variation of the tissue visualization catheter having a plurality of hooks or barbs along the circumference of the hood.

FIGS. 27A and 27B show perspective and side views, respectively, of yet another variation of the tissue visualization catheter having a plurality of jagged teeth along the circumference of the hood.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A tissue-imaging and manipulation apparatus described below is able to provide real-time images in vivo of tissue regions within a body lumen such as a heart, which is filled with blood flowing dynamically therethrough and is also able to provide intravascular tools and instruments for performing various procedures upon the imaged tissue regions. Such an apparatus may be utilized for many procedures, e.g., facilitating transseptal access to the left atrium, cannulating the coronary sinus, diagnosis of valve regurgitation/stenosis, valvuloplasty, atrial appendage closure, arrhythmogenic focus ablation, among other procedures. Further examples of tissue visualization catheters which may be utilized are shown and described in further detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/259,498 filed Oct. 25, 2005, which has been incorporated hereinabove by reference in its entirety.

One variation of a tissue access and imaging apparatus is shown in the detail perspective views of FIGS. 1A to 1C. As shown in FIG. 1A, tissue imaging and manipulation assembly 10 may be delivered intravascularly through the patient's body in a low-profile configuration via a delivery catheter or sheath 14. In the case of treating tissue, such as the mitral valve located at the outflow tract of the left atrium of the heart, it is generally desirable to enter or access the left atrium while minimizing trauma to the patient. To non-operatively effect such access, one conventional approach involves puncturing the intra-atrial septum from the right atrial chamber to the left atrial chamber in a procedure commonly called a transseptal procedure or septostomy. For procedures such as percutaneous valve repair and replacement, transseptal access to the left atrial chamber of the heart may allow for larger devices to be introduced into the venous system than can generally be introduced percutaneously into the arterial system.

When the imaging and manipulation assembly 10 is ready to be utilized for imaging tissue, imaging hood 12 may be advanced relative to catheter 14 and deployed from a distal opening of catheter 14, as shown by the arrow. Upon deployment, imaging hood 12 may be unconstrained to expand or open into a deployed imaging configuration, as shown in FIG. 1B. Imaging hood 12 may be fabricated from a variety of pliable or conformable biocompatible material including but not limited to, e.g., polymeric, plastic, or woven materials. One example of a woven material is Kevlar® (E.I. du Pont de Nemours, Wilmington, Del.), which is an aramid and which can be made into thin, e.g., less than 0.001 in., materials which maintain enough integrity for such applications described herein. Moreover, the imaging hood 12 may be fabricated from a translucent or opaque material and in a variety of different colors to optimize or attenuate any reflected lighting from surrounding fluids or structures, i.e., anatomical or mechanical structures or instruments. In either case, imaging hood 12 may be fabricated into a uniform structure or a scaffold-supported structure, in which case a scaffold made of a shape memory alloy, such as Nitinol or a spring steel, or plastic, etc., may be fabricated and covered with the polymeric, plastic, or woven material. Hence, imaging hood 12 may comprise any of a wide variety of barriers or membrane structures, as may generally be used to localize displacement of blood or the like from a selected volume of a body lumen or heart chamber. In exemplary embodiments, a volume within an inner surface 13 of imaging hood 12 will be significantly less than a volume of the hood 12 between inner surface 13 and outer surface 11.

Imaging hood 12 may be attached at interface 24 to a deployment catheter 16 which may be translated independently of deployment catheter or sheath 14. Attachment of interface 24 may be accomplished through any number of conventional methods. Deployment catheter 16 may define a fluid delivery lumen 18 as well as an imaging lumen 20 within which an optical imaging fiber or assembly may be disposed for imaging tissue. When deployed, imaging hood 12 may expand into any number of shapes, e.g., cylindrical, conical as shown, semi-spherical, etc., provided that an open area or field 26 is defined by imaging hood 12. The open area 26 is the area within which the tissue region of interest may be imaged. Imaging hood 12 may also define an atraumatic contact lip or edge 22 for placement or abutment against the tissue region of interest. Moreover, the diameter of imaging hood 12 at its maximum fully deployed diameter, e.g., at contact lip or edge 22, is typically greater relative to a diameter of the deployment catheter 16 (although a diameter of contact lip or edge 22 may be made to have a smaller or equal diameter of deployment catheter 16). For instance, the contact edge diameter may range anywhere from 1 to 5 times (or even greater, as practicable) a diameter of deployment catheter 16. FIG. 1C shows an end view of the imaging hood 12 in its deployed configuration. Also shown are the contact lip or edge 22 and fluid delivery lumen 18 and imaging lumen 20.

The imaging and manipulation assembly 10 may additionally define a guidewire lumen therethrough, e.g., a concentric or eccentric lumen, as shown in the side and end views, respectively, of FIGS. 1D to 1F. The deployment catheter 16 may define guidewire lumen 19 for facilitating the passage of the system over or along a guidewire 17, which may be advanced intravascularly within a body lumen. The deployment catheter 16 may then be advanced over the guidewire 17, as generally known in the art.

In operation, after imaging hood 12 has been deployed, as in FIG. 1B, and desirably positioned against the tissue region to be imaged along contact edge 22, the displacing fluid may be pumped at positive pressure through fluid delivery lumen 18 until the fluid fills open area 26 completely and displaces any fluid 28 from within open area 26. The displacing fluid flow may be laminarized to improve its clearing effect and to help prevent blood from re-entering the imaging hood 12. Alternatively, fluid flow may be started before the deployment takes place. The displacing fluid, also described herein as imaging fluid, may comprise any biocompatible fluid, e.g., saline, water, plasma, etc., which is sufficiently transparent to allow for relatively undistorted visualization through the fluid. Alternatively or additionally, any number of therapeutic drugs may be suspended within the fluid or may comprise the fluid itself which is pumped into open area 26 and which is subsequently passed into and through the heart and the patient body.

As seen in the example of FIGS. 2A and 2B, deployment catheter 16 may be manipulated to position deployed imaging hood 12 against or near the underlying tissue region of interest to be imaged, in this example a portion of annulus A of mitral valve MV within the left atrial chamber. As the surrounding blood 30 flows around imaging hood 12 and within open area 26 defined within imaging hood 12, as seen, in FIG. 2A, the underlying annulus A is obstructed by the opaque blood 30 and is difficult to view through the imaging lumen 20. The translucent fluid 28, such as saline, may then be pumped through fluid delivery lumen 18, intermittently or continuously, until the blood 30 is at least partially, and preferably completely, displaced from within open area 26 by fluid 28, as shown in FIG. 2B.

Although contact edge 22 need not directly contact the underlying tissue, it is at least preferably brought into close proximity to the tissue such that the flow of clear fluid 28 from open area 26 may be maintained to inhibit significant backflow of blood 30 back into open area 26. Contact edge 22 may also be made of a soft elastomeric material such as certain soft grades of silicone or polyurethane, as typically known, to help contact edge 22 conform to an uneven or rough underlying anatomical tissue surface. Once the blood 30 has been displaced from imaging hood 12, an image may then be viewed of the underlying tissue through the clear fluid 30. This image may then be recorded or available for real-time viewing for performing a therapeutic procedure. The positive flow of fluid 28 may be maintained continuously to provide for clear viewing of the underlying tissue. Alternatively, the fluid 28 may be pumped temporarily or sporadically only until a clear view of the tissue is available to be imaged and recorded, at which point the fluid flow 28 may cease and blood 30 may be allowed to seep or flow back into imaging hood 12. Tilts process may be repeated a number of times at the same tissue region or at multiple tissue regions.

In desirably positioning the assembly at various regions within the patient body, a number of articulation and manipulation controls may be utilized. For example, as shown in the articulatable imaging assembly 40 in FIG. 3A, one or more push-pull wires 42 may be routed through deployment catheter 16 for steering the distal end portion of the device in various directions 46 to desirably position the imaging hood 12 adjacent to a region of tissue to be visualized. Depending upon the positioning and the number of push-pull wires 42 utilized, deployment catheter 16 and imaging hood 12 may be articulated into any number of configurations 44. The push-pull wire or wires 42 may be articulated via their proximal ends from outside the patient body manually utilizing one or more controls. Alternatively, deployment catheter 16 may be articulated by computer control, as further described below.

Additionally or alternatively, an articulatable delivery catheter 48, which may be articulated via one or more push-pull wires and having an imaging lumen and one or more working lumens, may be delivered through the deployment catheter 16 and into imaging hood 12. With a distal portion of articulatable delivery catheter 48 within imaging hood 12, the clear displacing fluid may be pumped through delivery catheter 48 or deployment catheter 16 to clear the field within imaging hood 12. As shown in FIG. 3B, the articulatable delivery catheter 48 may be articulated within the imaging hood to obtain a better image of tissue adjacent to the imaging hood 12. Moreover, articulatable delivery catheter 48 may be articulated to direct an instrument or tool passed through the catheter 48, as described in detail below, to specific areas of tissue imaged through imaging hood 12 without having to reposition deployment catheter 16 and re-clear the imaging field within hood 12.

Alternatively, rather than passing an articulatable delivery catheter 48 through the deployment catheter 16, a distal portion of the deployment catheter 16 itself may comprise a distal end 49 which is articulatable within imaging hood 12, as shown in FIG. 3C. Directed imaging, instrument delivery, etc., may be accomplished directly through one or more lumens within deployment catheter 16 to specific regions of the underlying tissue imaged within imaging hood 12.

Visualization within the imaging hood 12 may be accomplished through an imaging lumen 20 defined through deployment catheter 16, as described above. In such a configuration, visualization is available in a straight-line manner, i.e., images are generated from the field distally along a longitudinal axis defined by the deployment catheter 16. Alternatively or additionally, an articulatable imaging assembly having a pivotable support member 50 may be connected, to, mounted to, or otherwise passed through deployment catheter 16 to provide for visualization off-axis relative to the longitudinal axis defined by deployment catheter 16, as shown in FIG. 4A. Support member 50 may have an imaging element 52, e.g., a CCD or CMOS imager or optical fiber, attached at its distal end with its proximal end connected to deployment catheter 16 via a pivoting connection 54.

If one or more optical fibers are utilized for imaging, the optical fibers 58 may be passed through deployment catheter 16, as shown in the cross-section of FIG. 4B, and routed through the support member 50. The use of optical fibers 58 may provide for increased diameter sizes of the one or several lumens 56 through deployment catheter 16 for the passage of diagnostic and/or therapeutic tools therethrough. Alternatively, electronic chips, such as a charge coupled device (CCD) or a CMOS imager, which are typically known, may be utilized in place of the optical fibers 58, in which case the electronic imager may be positioned in the distal portion of the deployment catheter 16 with electric wires being routed proximally through the deployment catheter 16. Alternatively, the electronic imagers may be wirelessly coupled to a receiver for the wireless transmission of images. Additional optical fibers or light emitting diodes (LEDs) can be used to provide lighting for the image or operative theater, as described below in further detail. Support member 50 may be pivoted via connection 54 such that the member 50 can be positioned in a low-profile configuration within channel or groove 60 defined in a distal portion of catheter 16, as shown, in the cross-section of FIG. 4C. During intravascular delivery of deployment catheter 16 through the patient body, support member 50 can be positioned within channel or groove 60 with imaging hood 12 also in its low-profile configuration. During visualization, imaging hood 12 may be expanded into its deployed configuration and support member 50 may be deployed into its off-axis configuration for imaging the tissue adjacent to hood 12, as in FIG. 4A. Other configurations for support member 50 for off-axis visualization may be utilized, as desired.

FIG. 4D shows a partial cross-sectional view of an example where one or more optical fiber bundles 62 may be positioned within the catheter and within imaging hood 12 to provide direct in-line imaging of tire open area within hood 12. FIG. 4E shows another example where an imaging element 64 (e.g., CCD or CMOS electronic imager) may be placed along an interior surface of imaging hood 12 to provide imaging of the open area such that the imaging element 64 is off-axis relative to a longitudinal axis of the hood 12. The off-axis position of element 64 may provide for direct visualization and uninhibited access by instruments from the catheter to the underlying tissue during treatment.

FIG. 5 shows an illustrative cross-sectional view of a heart H having tissue regions of interest being viewed via an imaging assembly 10. In this example, delivery catheter assembly 70 may be introduced percutaneously into the patient's vasculature and advanced through the superior vena cava SVC and into the right atrium RA. The delivery catheter or sheath 72 may be articulated through the atrial septum AS and into the left atrium LA for viewing or treating the tissue, e.g., the annulus A, surrounding the mitral valve MV. As shown, deployment catheter 16 and imaging hood 12 may be advanced out of delivery catheter 72 and brought into contact or in proximity to the tissue region of interest. In other examples, delivery catheter assembly 70 may be advanced through the inferior vena cava IVC, if so desired. Moreover, other regions of the heart H, e.g., the right ventricle RV or left ventricle LV, may also be accessed and imaged or treated by imaging assembly 10.

In accessing regions of the heart H or other parts of the body, the delivery catheter or sheath 14 may comprise a conventional intra-vascular catheter or an endoluminal delivery device. Alternatively, robotically-controlled delivery catheters may also be optionally utilized with the imaging assembly described herein, in which ease a computer-controller 74 may be used to control the articulation and positioning of the delivery catheter 14. An example of a robotically-controlled delivery catheter which may be utilized is described in further detail in US Pat. Pub. 2002/0087169 A1 to Brock et al. entitled “Flexible Instrument”, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Other robotically-controlled delivery catheters manufactured by Hansen Medical, Inc. (Mountain View, Calif.) may also be utilized with the delivery catheter 14.

To facilitate stabilization of the deployment catheter 16 during a procedure, one or more inflatable balloons or anchors 76 may be positioned along the length of catheter 16, as shown in FIG. 6A. For example, when utilizing a transseptal approach across the atrial septum AS into the left atrium LA, the inflatable balloons 76 may be inflated from a low-profile into their expanded configuration to temporarily anchor or stabilize the catheter 16 position relative to the heart H. FIG. 6B shows a first balloon 78 inflated while FIG. 6C also shows a second balloon 80 inflated proximal to the first balloon 78. In such a configuration, the septal wall AS may be wedged or sandwiched between the balloons 78, 80 to temporarily stabilize the catheter 16 and imaging hood 12. A single balloon 78 or both balloons 78, 80 may be used. Other alternatives may utilize expandable mesh members, malecots, or any other temporary expandable structure. After a procedure has been accomplished, the balloon assembly 76 may be deflated or re-configured into a low-profile for removal of the deployment catheter 16.

To further stabilize a position of the imaging hood 12 relative to a tissue surface to be imaged, various anchoring mechanisms may be optionally employed for temporarily holding the imaging hood 12 against the tissue. Such anchoring mechanisms may be particularly useful for imaging tissue which is subject to movement, e.g., when imaging tissue within the chambers of a beating heart. A tool delivery catheter 82 having at least one instrument lumen and an optional visualization lumen may be delivered through deployment catheter 16 and into an expanded imaging hood 12. As the imaging hood 12 is brought into contact against a tissue surface T to be examined, anchoring mechanisms such as a helical tissue piercing device 84 may be passed through the tool delivery catheter 82, as shown in FIG. 7A, and into imaging hood 12.

The helical tissue engaging device 84 may be torqued from its proximal end outside the patient body to temporarily anchor itself into the underlying tissue surface T. Once embedded within the tissue T, the helical tissue engaging device 84 may be pulled proximally relative to deployment catheter 16 while the deployment catheter 16 and imaging hood 12 are pushed distally, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 7B, to gently force the contact edge or lip 22 of imaging hood against the tissue T. The positioning of the tissue engaging device 84 may be locked temporarily relative to the deployment catheter 16 to ensure secure positioning of the imaging hood 12 during a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure within the imaging hood 12. After a procedure, tissue engaging device 84 may be disengaged from the tissue by torquing its proximal end in the opposite direction to remove the anchor form the tissue T and the deployment catheter 16 may be repositioned to another region of tissue where the anchoring process may be repeated or removed from the patient body. The tissue engaging device 84 may also be constructed from other known tissue engaging devices such as vacuum-assisted engagement or grasper-assisted engagement tools, among others.

Although a helical anchor 84 is shown, this is intended to be illustrative and other types of temporary anchors may be utilized, e.g., hooked or barbed anchors, graspers, etc. Moreover, the tool delivery catheter 82 may be omitted entirely and the anchoring device may be delivered directly through a lumen defined through the deployment catheter 16.

In another variation where the tool delivery catheter 82 may be omitted entirely to temporarily anchor imaging hood 12. FIG. 7C shows an imaging hood 12 having one or more tubular support members 86, e.g., four support members 86 as shown, integrated with the imaging hood 12. The tubular support members 86 may define lumens therethrough each having helical tissue engaging devices 88 positioned within. When an expanded imaging hood 12 is to be temporarily anchored to the tissue, the helical tissue engaging devices 88 may be urged distally to extend from imaging hood 12 and each may be torqued from its proximal end to engage the underlying tissue T. Each of the helical tissue engaging devices 88 may be advanced through the length of deployment catheter 16 or they may be positioned within tubular support members 86 during the delivery and deployment of imaging hood 12. Once the procedure within imaging hood 12 is finished, each of the tissue engaging devices 88 may be disengaged from the tissue and the imaging hood 12 may be repositioned to another region of tissue or removed from the patient body.

An illustrative example is shown in FIG. 8A of a tissue imaging assembly connected to a fluid delivery system 90 and to an optional processor 98 and image recorder and/or viewer 100. The fluid delivery system 90 may generally comprise a pump 92 and an optional valve 94 for controlling the flow rate of the fluid into the system. A fluid reservoir 96, fluidly connected to pump 92, may hold the fluid to be pumped through imaging hood 12. An optional central processing unit or processor 98 may be in electrical communication with fluid delivery system 90 for controlling flow parameters such as the flow rate and/or velocity of the pumped fluid. The processor 98 may also be in electrical communication with an image recorder and/or viewer 100 for directly viewing the images of tissue received from within imaging hood 12. Imager recorder and/or viewer 100 may also be used not only to record the image but also the location of the viewed tissue region, if so desired.

Optionally, processor 98 may also be utilized to coordinate the fluid flow and the image capture. For instance, processor 98 may be programmed to provide for fluid, flow from reservoir 96 until the tissue area has been displaced of blood to obtain a clear image. Once the image has been determined to be sufficiently clear, either visually by a practitioner or by computer, an image of the tissue may be captured automatically by recorder 100 and pump 92 may be automatically stopped or slowed by processor 98 to cease the fluid flow into the patient. Other variations for fluid delivery and image capture are, of course, possible and the aforementioned configuration is intended only to be illustrative and not limiting.

FIG. 8B shows a further illustration of a hand-held variation of the fluid delivery and tissue manipulation system 110. In this variation, system 110 may have a housing or handle assembly 112 which can be held or manipulated by the physician from outside the patient body. The fluid reservoir 114, shown in this variation as a syringe, can be fluidly coupled to the handle assembly 112 and actuated via a pumping mechanism 116, e.g., lead screw. Fluid reservoir 114 may be a simple reservoir separated from the handle assembly 112 and fluidly coupled to handle assembly 112 via one or more tubes. The fluid flow rate and other mechanisms may be metered by the electronic controller 118.

Deployment of imaging hood 12 may be actuated by a hood deployment switch 120 located on the handle assembly 112 while dispensation of the fluid from reservoir 114 may be actuated by a fluid deployment switch 122, which can be electrically coupled to the controller 118. Controller 118 may also be electrically coupled to a wired or wireless antenna 124 optionally integrated with the handle assembly 112, as shown in the figure. The wireless antenna 124 can be used to wirelessly transmit images captured from the imaging hood 12 to a receiver, e.g., via Bluetooth® wireless technology (Bluetooth SIG, Inc., Bellevue, Wash.), RF, etc., for viewing on a monitor 128 or for recording for later viewing.

Articulation control of the deployment catheter 16, or a delivery catheter or sheath 14 through which the deployment catheter 16 may be delivered, may be accomplished by computer control, as described above, in which case an additional controller may be utilized with handle assembly 112. In the case of manual articulation, handle assembly 112 may incorporate one or more articulation controls 126 for manual manipulation of the position of deployment catheter 16. Handle assembly 112 may also define one or more instrument ports 130 through which a number of intravascular tools may be passed for tissue manipulation and treatment within imaging hood 12, as described further below. Furthermore, in certain procedures, fluid or debris may be sucked into imaging hood 12 for evacuation from the patient body by optionally fluidly coupling a suction pump 132 to handle assembly 112 or directly to deployment catheter 16.

As described above, fluid may be pumped continuously into imaging hood 12 to provide for clear viewing of the underlying tissue. Alternatively, fluid may be pumped temporarily or sporadically only until a clear view of the tissue is available to be imaged and recorded, at which point the fluid flow may cease and the blood may be allowed to seep or flow back into imaging hood 12. FIGS. 9A to 9C illustrate an example of capturing several images of the tissue at multiple regions. Deployment catheter 16 may be desirably positioned and imaging hood 12 deployed and brought into position against a region of tissue to be imaged, in this example the tissue surrounding a mitral valve MV within the left atrium of a patient's heart. The imaging hood 12 may be optionally anchored to the tissue, as described above, and then cleared by pumping the imaging fluid into the hood 12. Once sufficiently clear, the tissue may be visualized and the image captured by control electronics 118. The first captured image 140 may be stored and/or transmitted wirelessly 124 to a monitor 128 for viewing by the physician, as shown in FIG. 9A.

The deployment catheter 16 may be then repositioned to an adjacent portion of mitral valve MV, as shown in FIG. 9B, where the process may be repeated to capture a second image 142 for viewing and/or recording. The deployment catheter 16 may again be repositioned to another region of tissue, as shown in FIG. 9C, where a third image 144 may be captured for viewing and/or recording. This procedure may be repeated as many times as necessary for capturing a comprehensive image of the tissue surrounding mitral valve MV, or any other tissue region. When the deployment catheter 16 and imaging hood 12 is repositioned from tissue region to tissue region, the pump may be stopped during positioning and blood or surrounding fluid may be allowed to enter within imaging hood 12 until the tissue is to be imaged, where the imaging hood 12 may be cleared, as above.

As mentioned above, when the imaging hood 12 is cleared by pumping the imaging fluid within for clearing the blood or other bodily fluid, the fluid may be pumped continuously to maintain the imaging fluid within the hood 12 at a positive pressure or it may be pumped under computer control for slowing or stopping the fluid flow into the hood 12 upon detection of various parameters or until a clear image of the underlying tissue is obtained. The control electronics 118 may also be programmed to coordinate the fluid flow into the imaging hood 12 with various physical parameters to maintain a clear image within imaging hood 12.

One example is shown in FIG. 10A which shows a chart 150 illustrating how fluid pressure within the imaging hood 12 may be coordinated with the surrounding blood pressure. Chart 150 shows the cyclical blood pressure 156 alternating between diastolic pressure 152 and systolic pressure 154 over time T due to the beating motion of the patient heart. The fluid pressure of the imaging fluid, indicated by plot 160, within imaging hood 12 may be automatically timed to correspond to the blood pressure changes 160 such that an increased pressure is maintained within imaging hood 12 which is consistently above the blood pressure 156 by a slight increase ΔP, as illustrated by the pressure difference at the peak systolic pressure 158. This pressure difference, ΔP, may be maintained within imaging hood 12 over the pressure variance of the surrounding blood pressure to maintain a positive imaging fluid pressure within imaging hood 12 to maintain a clear view of the underlying tissue. One benefit of maintaining a constant ΔP is a constant flow and maintenance of a clear field.

FIG. 10B shows a chart 162 illustrating another variation for maintaining a clear view of the underlying tissue where one or more sensors within the imaging hood 12, as described in further detail below, may be configured to sense pressure changes within the imaging hood 12 and to correspondingly increase the imaging fluid pressure within imaging hood 12. This may result in a time delay, ΔT, as illustrated by the shifted fluid pressure 160 relative to the cycling blood pressure 156, although the time delays ΔT may be negligible in maintaining the clear image of the underlying tissue. Predictive software algorithms can also be used to substantially eliminate this time delay by predicting when the next pressure wave peak will arrive and by increasing the pressure ahead of the pressure wave's arrival by an amount of time equal to the aforementioned time delay to essentially cancel the time delay out.

The variations in fluid pressure within imaging hood 12 may be accomplished in part due to the nature of imaging hood 12. An inflatable balloon, which is conventionally utilized for imaging tissue, may be affected by the surrounding blood pressure changes. On the other hand, an imaging hood 12 retains a constant volume therewithin and is structurally unaffected by the surrounding blood pressure changes, thus allowing for pressure increases therewithin. The material that hood 12 is made from may also contribute to the manner in which the pressure is modulated within this hood 12. A stiffer hood material such as high durometer polyurethane or Nylon, may facilitate the maintaining of an open hood when deployed. On the other hand, a relatively lower durometer or softer material, such as a low durometer PVC or polyurethane, may collapse from the surrounding fluid pressure and may not adequately maintain a deployed or expanded hood.

In utilizing the devices and systems, a tissue wall such as the atrial septal wall may be pierced while under direct visualization through the imaging hood, e.g., crossing an atrial septal wall from a right atrial chamber to a left atrial chamber within a patient's heart. However, prior to advancing or piercing the septal wall, visual confirmation of the location of the hood relative to the septal wall may be desired to ensure adequate positioning. Thus, quickly ensuring appropriate positioning may be achieved through, e.g., conventional imaging modalities such as fluoroscopy, prior to or during visualizing through the hood itself. Other common input sources may include tactile feedback from the instrument, fluoroscopic imaging, and ultrasonic visualization, etc. Typically, ultrasonic visualization is captured through a separate catheter placed in or near the patient's heart while fluoroscopic visualization relies on the differences in radiopacity of various devices or injections of radiopaque contrast media. The septum and fossa are typically not sufficiently radiopaque to be readily fluoroscopically visible.

One method of increasing the radiopacity of the instruments is to fabricate them completely from or at least partially from a material that itself is radiopaque. Another method would be to the instruments with a radiopaque material. Examples of radiopaque materials may include, but not limited to, barium, barium sulfate, gold, platinum, tungsten, iridium, rhenium, etc., or any combination of these materials.

Another solution to providing additional fluoroscopic imaging guidance may include use a flexible component placed against the septum wall. Such an element would be radiopaque to allow the clinician to approximate or locate the septum wall by the appearance and position of the flexible component. One example of a flexible member is shown in the side views of FIGS. 11A and 11B which illustrate a flexible guide member or guidewire 170 having a radiopaque distal end 172 advanced through or along a lumen 174 of the deployment catheter 16 for confirming hood positioning against the surface of the atrial septum AS underlying the visualization hood 12. In use, once the barrier, membrane, or hood 12 has been advanced proximate to or against a septal tissue surface AS, the radiopaque distal end 172 of the guidewire 170 may be advanced into and through the hood 12 until the radiopaque distal end 172 contacts and slides against the septal wall AS, as shown in FIG. 11B. Under fluoroscopic imaging, the position of the radiopaque guidewire end 172 may be visualized and the location of the septal wall AS may be determined when the guidewire end 172 is contacted against the tissue surface. Moreover, the placement of the guidewire 170 may be under direct visual guidance or in conjunction with the visualization catheter, which operates in part by flushing the hood with a clear fluid and directly visualizing the underlying tissue through the fluid, as described above.

In another variation, multiple flexible guide members or guidewires 170, 176 each having a radiopaque distal end portion 172, 178, respectively, may be utilized, as shown in the side views of FIGS. 12A and 12B. The position of the septum wall can be approximated or determined under fluoroscopic imaging when the distal end of the plurality of guidewires 170, 176 are found to slide along the septum wall AS. Although two guidewires 170, 176 are illustrated, three or more members may be utilized, as practicable, and each member may also be configured to bend or slide along the tissue surface in opposing directions such that a profile or contour of the tissue surface may be ascertained when visualized.

FIGS. 13A and 13B show perspective and side views, respectively, of a hood having a plurality of radiopaque elements 180, e.g., beads, positioned around the circumference of the hood 12, e.g., upon or proximal to a circumference of contact lip or edge 22, for ascertaining a location of the hood relative to the tissue surface. The radiopaque elements 180 may be uniformly spaced around hood 12 or they may be spaced apart relative to one another depending upon the desired pattern.

FIGS. 14A and 14B show perspective and side views, respectively, of another variation of a hood having one or more radiopaque struts 182 which may be fabricated from a radiopaque material (described above) or which are inflatable with a radiopaque contrast medium. The struts 182 may be integrated or embedded directly into hood 12 or attached separately. Moreover, the struts 182 may be integrated along longitudinal portions of hood 12 they may be configured as a scaffolding, as shown. Aside from providing radiopacity to hood 12, struts 182 may also provide structural support to the hood 12 when inflated or expanded as a strut or other element.

Yet another variation is shown in the perspective view of FIG. 15A, which illustrates a tubular member 190 having a secondary hood 192 which defines a secondary open area 194 slidably disposed within hood 12. Secondary hood 192 may be of a size which is relatively smaller than hood 12 such that secondary hood 192 may be easily translated through hood 12. Secondary inner hood 192 may be placed or engaged, such as via a vacuum force, against the underlying tissue surface and the surrounding outer hood 12 may also be placed or secured against the tissue surface. The volume of open area 26 defined between the secondary hood 192 and outer hood 12 may be filled with radiopaque contrast medium 198, as shown in FIG. 15B, to provide a visual determination of a position of hood 12 with respect to the septal tissue surface AS.

Secondary hood 192 can also be used to pass tools, such as needles, guidewires, etc., through a lumen 196 defined through tubular member 190 and also provide visualization via a CCD camera or fiberscope within secondary hood 192 while a transseptal procedure is being performed. The suction hood 192 may also provide stability and better sealing between the tissue surface AS and hood 12, particularly when instruments are advanced into and/or through the underlying atrial septum AS. Further examples of such a secondary suction hood and its uses are described in detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/775,771 filed Jul. 10, 2007, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

With the location of hood 12 confirmed along the septal wall, a piercing instrument may be deployed for passage into and/or through the underlying tissue. Prior to, during, or even after deployment of the piercing instrument, the visualization hood 12 may be flushed with the transparent fluid and the septal wall may be directly visualized. The insertion and/or passage of the piercing instrument may of course be directly visualized during the procedure through the transparent fluid.

With catheter 200 advanced intravascularly into the right atrial chamber RA, such as through the inferior vena cava IVC, and positioned proximate or adjacent the atrial septum AS, as shown in FIG. 16A, the piercing instrument 202 (such as a needle) may be deployed to pass into and/or through the atrial septum AS. However, the septal wall AS′ may deform and “tent” around the instrument 202 and migrate at least partially into the left atrial chamber LA, as shown in FIG. 16B. This undesirable tenting may be problematic as the preferred path of the instrument 202 may be deflected while also bringing the deformed septum AS′ closer to other anatomical structures that could be damaged if the instrument 202 were to rapidly puncture through the septum AS′.

One approach for providing counter-traction against the tissue to inhibit or prevent such tenting is to use a threaded needle instrument 210 having an elongate support member with a threaded distal end 212 that may be advanced into and/or through the septum AS via a controlled rotational or torquing advancement, as shown in FIG. 17. This threaded instrument 210 may be passed through the visualization catheter hood 12 and engaged or threaded through the underlying septal tissue wall AS. Such a threaded element may include any number of threaded instruments, such as a corkscrew or cylindrical screw, etc. The threaded instrument 210 may include a lumen 214 through the instrument to allow passage of other tools therethrough e.g., such as needles or guidewires 17, etc.

As further shown in FIG. 17, the tissue visualization catheter may optionally include radiopaque hood 12 having any of the one or more radiopaque elements, such as elements 180 around a circumference of hood 12 to aid in visualizing the hood location relative to the septal wall. Moreover, hood 12 may be temporarily affixed to the septal wall AS via one or more optional engaging elements 208 projecting from hood 12 (as described in further detail below) while threaded instrument 210 is rotated into or through the septum AS without tenting the tissue wall. With the threaded instrument 210 advanced at least partially into the septal wall AS, a guidewire 17 or other instrument may be passed directly through threaded instrument 210 and into the left atrial chamber LA.

FIGS. 18A and 18B show detail side and cross-sectional side views, respectively, of one variation of a threaded engagement instrument defining a lumen 218 therethrough which may be utilized for passing into and/or through a tissue wall in a controlled manner while inhibiting or preventing tissue tenting. As shown, the distal end effector may be tapered with threads 216 defined thereupon with lumen 218 terminating with distal opening 214 through which any number of additional tools or instruments may be passed. FIGS. 19A and 19B detail show side and cross-sectional side views, respectively, of another variation of a threaded engagement instrument 210 defining a lumen opening 220 along a side surface of the instrument. In this variation, a instrument such as a guidewire may be passed through lumen 218 to exit through side opening 220 at an angle relative to instrument 210, if so desired. In either variation, the threading 216 may be variably pitched to improve its engagement and anchoring performance.

In yet other variations, threaded engagement instrument may be configured as a penetrating helical tissue engager through which a guidewire may be advanced. Such variations and other examples are described in further detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/763,399 filed Jun. 14, 2007, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Another variation of an instrument for providing counter-traction is shown in the side views of FIGS. 20A and 20B. In this variation, at least two opposing grasping elements 232, 234 may be deployed from tubular member 230 for pinching and holding a portion of the underlying tissue. Grasping elements 232, 234 may be fabricated from a resilient material such as a shape memory alloy, e.g., Nickel-Titanium alloy, or spring stainless steel, etc. such that the elements 232, 234 are reconfigurable from a low profile delivery configuration when disposed within a lumen of tubular member 230 to an expanded tissue grasping configuration, as shown in FIG. 20A. When deployed and reconfigured within or distal to hood 12, elements 232, 234 may be advanced into or against the tissue surface. Once the tissue has been contacted, elements 232, 234 may be retracted into tubular member 230 or tubular member 230 may be advanced distally over elements 232, 234 such that the elements 232, 234 are forced to collapse towards one another while grasping and pinching a portion of tissue 236 therebetween, as shown in FIG. 20B.

An example of a pinching engagement device may be seen in the partial cross-sectional views of FIGS. 21A and 21B. The counter-traction engagement device may utilize a pair of reconfigurable curved grasping elements 238, 240 which are connected via angled or curved portions 242, 244 to a support member 246. Curved grasping elements 238, 240 may be reconfigurable from a low-profile configuration to a deployed configuration and which may be controlled by sliding within lumen 248 relative to tubular member 230. When retracted in a proximal direction 250 from its deployed shape to its low-profile shape, the curved grasping elements 238, 240 may be drawn towards one another, as indicated by the direction of articulation 252, to force a pitching motion which may be utilized for temporarily pinching or holding the underlying tissue.

FIGS. 22A and 22B illustrate side views of another variation of a pinching or grasping instrument utilizing linearly projecting grasping elements 268, 270 connected via straightened linking members 260, 262 which are in turn connected to support member 246 via angled or curved portion 264, 266. As above, when support member 246 is retracted proximally 250, the distal grasping element 268, 270 may be drawn towards one another, as indicated by the direction of articulation 252, to force a pitching motion.

Another variation may utilize the grasping elements 280 fabricated from a shape memory alloy, such as Nickel-Titanium alloy, where activation of the shape memory alloy could be from, heat, electricity, or other methods. The shape memory alloy could be the grasping element itself or it could be integrated as a part of a mechanism that facilitates engagement. FIG. 23A shows a variation where the shape memory alloy is configured into multiple grasping elements 280 each having a piercing tip 282 positioned within the tubular member 230. When support member 246 is advanced distally, the grasping elements 280 may be begin to expand radially, as shown in FIG. 23B, until elements 280 are folly expanded into its radially curved configuration, as shown in FIG. 23C. Each of the grasping elements 280 may curve proximally, much like a hook, to facilitate attachment to the tissue and to provide anchorage and a counter traction force to reduce and/or eliminate “tenting” effects. FIG. 23D illustrates an example where grasping elements 280 may be advanced and expanded into its deployment shape within the septal wall AS to temporarily retain the tissue. To release the tissue, elements 280 may be retracted by support member 246 such that they collapse back into their low profile configuration within tubular member 230.

Other examples of grasping elements may include any number of projections or elements, such as hooks, teeth, etc. Moreover, a single or a plurality of grasping elements may be utilized. The grasping elements may also be engaged or disengaged in a variety of different ways. By pulling proximally on the tissue towards the interior of hood 12, tenting of the tissue into the left atrium LA may be avoided when pushing distally with the piercing instrument upon the tissue wall. Moreover, by pulling proximally on the tissue, accidental puncturing of surrounding anatomical structures may be potentially avoided when passing needle or other instruments through the tissue by preventing or inhibiting tissue tenting, as described above. Further examples of grasping instruments are described in further detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/763,399, incorporated hereinabove.

In yet another variation, as shown in FIGS. 24A and 24B, the tissue of the atrial septum AS can be engaged using a vacuum created within imaging hood 12. Initially, the imaging hood 12 may be deployed and the location for crossing the atrial septum AS determined using the imaging element and flushing port as described above. Once the location has been determined, the tissue may be engaged using a suction force within secondary hood 192 to draw in the approximated tissue and hold it securely within hood 12, as shown and described above. While the tissue is engaged using the vacuum, a needle can be passed through the atrial septum AS and into the left atrium LA. As described above, the needle 520 may pass a guidewire 17 therethrough across the atrial septum AS. By pulling proximally on the tissue, accidental puncturing of surrounding anatomical structures may be potentially avoided when passing needles or other instruments through the tissue by preventing or inhibiting tissue tenting, as further described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/763,399 which is incorporated hereinabove.

Alternatively, the smaller secondary hood 192 may be utilized to pass tools (such as needles or guidewires, etc.) and/or to provide visualization (via CCD camera or fiberscope, etc.). Rather than drawing a vacuum within secondary hood 192, a negative pressure 290 may be created within hood 12 outside of secondary hood 192 to draw the tissue against the hood 12, as indicated by the direction of tissue apposition 292 in FIG. 24B.

Aside from utilizing grasping instruments passed through hood 12 to create a counter-traction force during, e.g., a transseptal procedure, one or more projections or retaining members may be placed around a periphery of hood 12 itself, e.g., around a circumference of contact lip or edge 22. One such example is shown in the perspective and side views of FIGS. 25A and 25B, respectively, where hood 12 may include a plurality of rotationally engaging elements 300 oriented, e.g., at right angles relative to a longitudinal axis of the catheter 16. These elements 300 may be temporarily engaged onto the tissue by torquing hood 12 about its longitudinal axis such that these elements 300 are driven rotationally into the underlying tissue, as also illustrated above in FIG. 17. Engaging elements 300 may be fabricated from any number of biocompatible metallic or polymeric materials which are attached or otherwise integrated with hood 12.

FIGS. 26A and 26B illustrate perspective and side views, respectively, of another variation utilizing a plurality of hooks or barbed elements 302 projecting from around the circumference of hood 12. FIGS. 27A and 27B show yet another alternative variation utilizing jagged teeth 304 around the rim of hood 12. The rotationally engaging elements could also be positioned along two separate circular elements that are counter rotated to engage against the tissue. The rotational element may also be locked into engagement against the tissue by extending anchors, such as straight pins attached along the circumference of the hood 12, that may be inserted into the tissue wall perpendicularly relative to the engaging teeth to prevent reverse rotation and disengagement from the tissue.

The applications of the disclosed invention discussed above are not limited to certain treatments or regions of the body, but may include any number of other treatments and areas of the body. Modification of the above-described methods and devices for carrying out the invention, and variations of aspects of the invention that are obvious to those of skill in the arts are intended to be within the scope of this disclosure. Moreover, various combinations of aspects between examples are also contemplated and are considered to be within the scope of this disclosure as well. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of inhibiting tissue migration during a procedure, comprising: positioning an open area of a non-inflatable hood against or adjacent to a tissue region, where the hood expands when unconstrained to a deployed configuration which defines the open area; displacing an opaque fluid with a transparent fluid from the open area through a distal opening in the hood defined by the hood and the tissue region; engaging a portion of the tissue region within the open area via an end effector advanced through the open area and which grasps onto the portion, the end effector including a tapered section through which a lumen extends, the tapered section being tapered along its entire length, the tapered section being tapered along a longitudinal axis of the end effector and including threads extending from a surface of the tapered section in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, wherein engaging comprises screwing the tapered and threaded section of the end effector into the portion of tissue region; and piercing the tissue region while displacing the opaque fluid with the transparent fluid through the distal opening of the hood and while maintaining engagement of the portion of the tissue region such that distal movement of the tissue is inhibited.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein piercing comprises piercing into or through an atrial septum towards a left atrial chamber.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein piercing comprises inserting a needle through the tissue region until an adjacent body lumen is entered by the needle.
 4. The method of claim 1 further comprising directly visualizing the engaging and piercing of the tissue region within the open area.
 5. The method of claim 1 further comprising visualizing a position of the non-inflatable hood with respect to the tissue region via a plurality of radiopaque elements positioned along the non-inflatable hood prior to piercing the tissue region.
 6. The method of claim 1 further comprising advancing a flexible member having a radiopaque distal end within the open area such that the radiopaque distal end contacts the tissue region prior to piercing the tissue region.
 7. A method of inhibiting tissue migration during a procedure, comprising: expanding a non-inflatable hood to a deployed configuration which defines an open area, the hood including a distal edge; positioning the distal edge of the hood adjacent to a tissue region; extending a counter-traction device through the open area and into engagement with the tissue region; deploying a piercing instrument through the open area and into the tissue region while the counter-traction device maintains engagement with the tissue region such that distal movement of the tissue region is inhibited, wherein the counter-traction device includes an end effector with threads extending from a tapered surface in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the end effector, the tapered surface being tapered along its entire length, wherein the tapered surface is tapered along the longitudinal axis, and wherein extending the counter-traction device into engagement with the tissue region includes threading the tapered surface of the end effector into the tissue region; and flushing a transparent fluid through the open area and distally beyond the distal edge of the hood while the piercing instrument is deployed into the tissue region.
 8. The method of claim 7 wherein deploying the piercing instrument includes extending the piercing instrument through a side opening in the tapered surface. 